A group comprising leaders of thoughts and legal icons in the country has sought for live broadcast of election petition cases in the country and for judgments to be delivered before the scheduled date of the swearing in of newly elected political officers.
The group has also invited Nigerians to sign up an appeal on comonvoiceng; a nonpartisan online platform, created to allow Nigerians express their views and mandate on issues concerning public governance.
A press statement issued on Sunday by Anthony Kila, a Professor of Strategy and Development and CIAPS Director, the platform noted that the recently concluded 2023 general elections have left Nigeria in a gravely divisive state with a part of the country considering the elections as fair, arguing that elections results reflected the wishes of the people, while a significant bloc of the country views the elections as highly flawed and considers the results unacceptable, and stressed that the dualism is presently generating tension in the country.
The statement reads, “As concerned citizens, we believe that one of the best ways to douse the tension in the country, restore unity and legitimise the incoming government is to make sure that all parts of the country get a convincing, transparent and timely adjudication of the electoral cases that will give all sides in the country a sense of satisfaction and justice in bringing to an end the burgeoning political acrimony and tension over the 2023 elections.
“To this end, we appeal to the Chief Justice of Nigeria to use his powers to ensure that electoral cases in court are made truly public by ensuring accredited media coverage of proceedings,” the statement noted.
According to the statement electoral cases in court, especially the presidential election petitions, should be adjudicated and dispensed with before the swearing in date of 29th May 2023
“It will be recalled that a leading human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), National President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Yakubu Maikyau and key leaders of thought of Project Nigeria Movement (PNM), a body of eminent leaders of thought in the country led by Prof Ben Nwabueze, (SAN), among others have already backed calls for live broadcast of the proceedings of the presidential election tribunal and for final adjudication on the presidential election petition before the swearing in date,” the statement added.
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